Methods, systems and kits for making carbohydrate affinity columns and lectin columns are provided. The methods for making carbohydrate/lectin affinity columns are often tedious and limiting in the carbohydrates one can use found in Journal of Biological Chemistry 252 (1) 57-60 (1977) by R Baues and G Gray. Synthesis of carbohydrate affinity columns has been reviewed by P Cuatrecasas and C Anfinsen in Ann. Rev. Biochem. Vol 40 259-278 1971 and by Zhu, Bilgin and Snyder in Ann. Rev. Biochem. Vol. 72 783-812 2003 for proteomic applications of the chemistries involved. Either protecting groups or complex synthetic schemes are necessary to prepare carbohydrate lectin affinity columns. None of these methods allow for a simple method to prepare carbohydrate affinity columns as a general method with potentially any reducing sugar available. And, there are no simple methods for preparing lectin columns, therefore few exist commercially. Con A is commercially available and its use described in J. Invest. Dermatol. 85 165-168 (1985) by G Imokawa and Y Mishima. Certainly there is a need for simple methods for the preparation of a wide range of carbohydrate/lectin affinity columns. The present application addresses these needs.